The primary challenges in the healthcare views among transgender individuals are gender insensitivity, verbal abuse, denied services, displays of discomfort, and forced or suboptimal care. Transgender individuals, specifically trans women, have often been subjected to state-sanctioned stigma or systematic oppression that is rooted in the communities’ basic beliefs or codified in laws other than the individual and interpersonal aspects of stigma (Muwanguzi et al., 2023). The prevalence of structural, individual, and interpersonal aspects has been associated with negative health results such as depressive symptoms, suicidality, HIV among transgender individuals, substance abuse, and anxiety. This paper presents the importance of education in enhancing cultural competence and the integration of transgender health education in nursing curricula as interventions in enhancing transgender healthcare.
Tanenbaum and Holden (2023) assert that in addressing transgender healthcare issues, extreme stress ought to be exerted on patient results because of the improvements among the individuals after cultural competency training. Transgender health cultural competency training should be officially integrated into highly professional and medical school curricula as compulsory learning instead of an optional supplement. The implementation may, however, be subjected to challenges such as resistance to change and time constraints among the healthcare staff, which may require additional implementation approaches to the process. The cultural competency program can be made fascinating through the usage of video production tools, educational materials, and the invitation of numerous expert speakers on transgender challenges. The implementation process entails creating a module with the relevant content, identifying a timetable, and performing pre and post-module assessments. In addition, it is essential to monitor and track the progress of the program through constant assessment of the staff’s knowledge and motivation and analyzing feedback to decide on possible areas of improvement. The education program not only involves training the specific coordinators but also the IT support and transgender healthcare experts.
Additionally, Sherman et al. (2020) identify the transgender curriculum integration project that should be developed and integrated into transgender and gender-diverse nursing education. Nurses represent the majority of the American healthcare workforce. The training and education of nurses in knowledge based on transgender and gender is a crucial way of addressing the increased stigma and discrimination that is often recorded by transgender and gender individuals in healthcare institutions. Even so, the training and education of the nurses might encounter challenges such as resistance from educational faculties and institutions. The resources that are essential in implementing this program include curriculum development experts and transgender community members. On the other hand, the implementation process involves deriving curriculum content that not only supports the learning of the nurses but also respects the national and international standards in nursing. The program can be monitored and tracked through nursing students’ assessment and using feedback to make desired changes. The program can be tailored and implemented by a specific curriculum development team and a panel discussion coordinator to ensure centralized ideas and necessary adjustments are made to the implementation of the program.
In conclusion, the prevalence of healthcare inequalities experienced by transgender people, especially trans women, can be addressed through developing effective intervention plans such as necessary cultural competency training and the education of nurses. The success of the intervention programs requires regular updates and transparent communication among all the involved personnel. In years 1 and 2, the program can focus on creating and implementing yearly modules, while years 3 and 5 can include transgender health in the bachelorette curriculum. Even so, the success of the program in improving cultural competency and increasing nurses’ knowledge on transgender healthcare issues depends on the commitment of the institution to the educational programs, support from the society and staff, and the flexibility of the involved personnel in adopting the feedback into the program.
References
Muwanguzi, P. A., Otiku, P. K., Nabunya, R., & Gausi, B. (2023). Implementation and effectiveness of transgender stigma reduction interventions in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review. Journal of Global Health Reports, 7. https://doi.org/10.29392/001c.72080
Sherman, A. D. F., McDowell, A., Clark, K. D., Balthazar, M., Klepper, M., & Bower, K. (2020). Transgender and gender diverse health education for future nurses: Students’ knowledge and attitudes. Nurse Education Today, p. 97, 104690. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104690
Tanenbaum, G. J., & Holden, L. R. (2023). A Review of Patient Experiences and Provider Education to Improve Transgender Health Inequities in the USA. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(20), 6949–6949. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20206949
write